Towards homotopy type theory

Equivalence of Types

We have seen that functions should be regarded as equal if they are homotopic. As usual in mathematics, we have a corresponding notion of equivalence between types, namely a function $f: A \to B$ is an equivalence if there is an inverse functions with compositions equal, i.e., homotopic, to the identity. However, if we naturally turn this into a type, the result (as we see below) is not well-behaved. So we call this relation quasi-equivalence.

Instead, we define $f$ to be an equivalence if it has separate left and right equivalences. As we see in Algebra, this is an equivalent condition. However, this is better behaved in that the proofs of the proposition as types is generally unique in this formulation.

Monodromy for Quasi-Equivalences

We now see the subtle problem in using the relation that we called quasi-equivalence. Consider the identity map on a type $A$. Let $g$ be an inverse of the identity, so that both conditions become $g \sim id$. However elements of the type are in general two proofs of $g \sim id$. For $a : A$, these are two paths from $a$ to $g(a)$. Combining these we get a path from $a$ to itself, the monodromy. In type theoretic terms, this is the following.

Thus, for a point $a : A$, an element of $isQuasiEquiv(A)$ gives an element of $a = a$, i.e., a loop. If there are non-trivial loops in $A$, we have more than one proof that identity is an equivalence.